Larceny. — At the Carlton court, yesterday,
James Hayes or "Buffer" Hayes, a well-
known criminal, was charged with larceny.
He had been living with his brother-in-law,
named Arthur Quick. Taking advantage of the
latter's absence, he made off with a clock
valued at 12s. 6d., and pledged it with a pawn-broker named Pearson in Lygon-street. Quick got out a warrant, and it was executed by Plain-clothes Coffey, who traced the clock to the pawnbroker's possession. Sergeant Doyle said that the prisoner, who had been convicted about 30 times previously, was the most dangerous man in the district. The only excuse that Hayes made was that he was drunk when he committed the theft. In answer to a question by prisoner Quick, the prosecutor said he did not wish to press the charge, and Hayes was let off with 14 days' imprisonment.
1888 'POLICE NEWS.', The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), 27 March, p. 6. , viewed 08 Oct 2020, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article191203155
James had previously appeared in court with his brother Francis, [they were both plasterers] and on another occasion a brother Thomas.
In the 1880’s there were in Victoria 2 or 3 criminals called James Hayes who appeared regularly in the press.
James ‘Toppo’ Hayes and the James Hayes above. There is also a notorious garrotte attacker who may have been ‘Toppo.’